


Alone and Forsaken

by MyThoughtBubbles



Series: The Infected Universe [2]
Category: Naruto, The Last of Us
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombies, Blood and Gore, Infected, M/M, Psychological Trauma, SasuNaru - Freeform, Survival Horror, Survivors Guilt, The Last of Us game, The infected are zombies, character driven, kakairu - Freeform, the wolfdogs return, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-06
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2018-11-28 08:34:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11414163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyThoughtBubbles/pseuds/MyThoughtBubbles
Summary: 16 years into the aftermath of the contagion that systematically converted the human race into terrifying, fungus-ridden Infected, the last survivors find hope and must fight for it. Environments and Infected based off of the survival horror/ action-adventure video game, The Last of Us.This is a sequel toThe Empty City.





	1. First Encounter

He ducked down, immediately stilling.

As he listened to the sudden quiet of the forest, blue eyes narrowed with apprehension, darting from side to side. Calloused fingertips traced soft feathers, twitching with tension. The tall trees around him whispered with the heavy wind, swaying as thunder rumbled overhead.

He turned. The shouting came again, from his far right.

Curiosity overrode caution and he slid the arrow back into its housing, straightening from a crouch. Carefully creeping along the dense green underbrush, he tracked the noise down an overgrown path, hearing it grow louder and splinter into several voices. He counted four.

Mud seeped into his shoes, washed off easily as he waded through several streams that snaked over the forest floor, sinking into mossy grounds that soon hardened to dry land.

It didn't take long to reach them.

Nestled amidst a thick clump of pine trees sat a large, two-story ranch house, complete with a huge, dilapidated horse stable out back. Over the fenced entrance hung a sign that read, "Hidden Pines Corral", adorned by a bloody symbol painted over the words.

He hesitated then, eyeing the group of men that emerged from the forest opposite him, brashly marching into the ranch and through the corralled entryway. Stumbling behind them was another man. This one had his hands tied in front of him, struggling against the binds. He stood out, dressed differently; a black figure among brown and green.

From the safety of the tree line, Naruto watched as three other men circled the man in black like vultures, spitting and cursing at him. Naruto briefly wondered if the man had anything valuable on him and if it would be worth the risk of looting his body.

"Serves the bastard right."

"Tell them to open the back. We've brought a friend."

"We should hang him as a warning."

A shorter man lashed out and kicked the bound stranger in the stomach hard, knocking him down to his knees and going until he was coughing and heaving on the floor. He didn't scream.

The tallest of the three held up his hands, stalling the violence. "Calm down, boys. Kidomaru was useless anyway. It'll be more fun to watch him in the pit. Take him out back."

A chorus of gleeful cheers followed as two bent down to pick up the injured man, each grabbing an arm and dragging him further onto the ranch, towards the back of the house. The third sharply jammed the butt of his gun into the man's ribs.

"That'll teach this piece of shit."

Naruto prepared to leave, uninterested and hoping to avoid the downpour of rain he knew was coming; he wasn't looking forward to spending the night wet and shivering. As he slunk back, he caught sight of the man's face, freezing when their eyes seemingly met for a second before he was forced away. His chapped lips parted in surprise and he inhaled sharply.  _No, it couldn't be._

Shit.

_How could it be?_

No.

A wet nose nudged his arm, drawing him back from his shock. He swallowed heavily. "Shh boy. We're going to follow. Remember,  _sneak_." His fingers curled in Rasengan's warm fur, giving a light scratch.

Keeping a good distance behind, Naruto jumped the wooden fence and used the tall grass as cover. The German Shepard-Wolf mix crept up next to him, ears forward and poised to attack. Tiny drops of water began to fall, cold and clean, followed by another growl of thunder. Naruto pulled up the hood of his jacket and crept forward, shadowing the men carefully, keeping his gaze trained on the man in black, vying to catch another glimpse of his face. It was frustratingly hidden behind the curtain of his dark hair, strands stuck with blood.

He'd leave if he could  _just get another glance,_ just to make sure.

The side door of the ranch house creaked open and two more men came out, greeting the group. Naruto cursed softly, pausing. Nearly being spotted when one of the men turned around, he flattened himself to the side wall of the stable, out of sight. Rasengan darting up ahead, safely hidden by the mass of bushes choking the structure. Naruto tightened his grip on his bow, calculating his chances of survival. Iruka was going to be pissed when he found out he was acting risky again.

But he _looked like him_. Iruka would understand.

Kakashi didn't even enter his mind.

Waiting, he strained to hear what the men were saying, put-off by the pitter-patter of rain on leaves. It created a dull roar that blocked any other sound, growing louder with the rain. He shivered, on his way to being soaked. Deeming the coast sufficiently clear, Naruto peeked over the edge and spotted them disappearing into the woods. He hurried to make up lost ground, mentally mapping the area. It was a relatively safe area—if this group was the only one around, this would be a good place to set up as a temporary base. It appeared fairly cleaned out, judging by the pyre he passed by. The hard work was already done.

The convoy stopped a ways from the ranch, where several makeshift fences had been cobbled together in a small clearing. Constructed from actual fence portions, metal sheets, and bins, they crudely did their jobs.

One held a larger pyre, still smoking, and one held protected goods.

Another held Infected.

Two Clickers stood in the middle of the ring, twitching and jerking in tight movements. Each was at a different stage of infection, but both were undeniably Clickers. Yellow and pink fungal plates sprouted from their mutilated faces, splitting skin and bone to flower into thick coral-like masses. One had its neck bent from the weight of fungus, body further riddled with oozing, grey-ish veins and sores, revealed by the rips in its meager clothing. The other Clicker was younger, with smaller amounts of fungal growth and rot that sprung from it's stomach. Naruto noted they were both female.

With them were three Runners, two males and one female. The woman was despondent as her companions groaned and cried out, very much in pain from the infection and transformation. Little shoots of the insidious fungus forcibly rose from inside their skulls, pushing out their eyes. Naruto could tell they were a few days turned, while the corpses strewn in the muddy ground had no signs of Infection.

Hearing the men approach, the Clickers lunged from their hunched positions, zeroing in on them. Sharp clicks snapped into the air as they flailed, clawing at the edges of their enclosure with dangerous strength and determination. The three Runners erupted into action and howled, hurdling towards them and slamming against the walls with the Clickers.

Naruto gritted his teeth as he watched the men antagonize the Infected further, rattling the fences and laughing loudly. He blinked stinging rain and sweat from his eyes, keeping them trained on the Clickers, reflexively gripping his bow tighter. The scars on his face itched.

His stare broke as the men dragged the stranger closer to the Infected, moving to throw him in. The Runners shrieked louder, tearing at their heads while the Clickers uselessly reached through the openings.

Naruto's heart rate jumped into a gallop, his body tense. Six men in total, and he only had a few arrows. This was a lost cause, but he wouldn't leave him.

The man was calm despite looking death in the face. He turned slightly and their eyes met once more, sending excitement and fear through Naruto.  _It was him._  With a dry throat, Naruto pressed a finger to his lips. He was an ally, not a foe.

The stranger's eyed him with silent suspicion but did nothing.

One of the men in green approached him, knife in hand. He snatched a pale wrist, smirking. "They love the smell." The tip of the blade pressed into flesh.

Naruto nocked and aimed in one smooth motion, lining his shot to the man with the knife. The men's taunts and the rumbling of the rain became muted as he exhaled slowly, eyes seeing only his target. He released. The arrow flew, the head cutting through air before burrowing deep into bone and brain, sending the body reeling.

A moment passed before anyone reacted.

As if it were planned, the stranger dropped forward, grabbing the blade in a quick roll. He sliced through his binds, jamming the knife into the neck of one of his attackers and ripping his gun away to use it on the third. The fourth shot back in a spray of bullets, forcing the stranger to take cover by a metal sheet and return fire.

He didn't spare Naruto a glance as he landed a kill shot.

Astonished, Naruto leapt into the clearing and ducked behind the metal plating of another fence, wincing at the stray shots whizzing by. He equipped another arrow, cursing at his low supply and the overall handicap of bringing a bow and arrow into a gun fight. Though, judging by the kill ratio of the stranger, he wasn't needed. A Runner lurched into his view, free and angry.

On instinct, Naruto fired his last arrow, planting it right between the Runner's eyes. Its head snapped back, arrow sticking out like a beacon as he fell. Without hesitation, Naruto grabbed and pulled it out of the now-limp body, re-slotting.  _Fuck, the Infected are free._ He turned to see one of the members surrounded by Clickers, boxed in. With wet, vicious rips, the Clickers tore the man to pieces, filthy spore-ridden teeth biting with ease. They were in his stomach in seconds, pulling out pink entrails in their rage. His screams abruptly cut off.

The last member stood shaking in the middle of the clearing, gun dangling in his hand. "No, please!" He screamed as two Runners spotted him, whirling around to run away. He didn't get very far, tripping over the body of his compatriots.

Glancing away from the grisly scene, Naruto watched as the stranger began to finish off the Infected, rinsing through the Runners. Fingering his arrow, Naruto started as the Clickers left their quarry and veered towards the sound, clicking furiously

As calm as ever, the man took aim and pulled the trigger. A chill ran through Naruto as the gun clicked uselessly, empty.

"Shit. RUN!" Naruto shouted, taking off into the safety of the pine trees, a Clicker suddenly hot on his heels.  _Fast_!

Rasengan erupted into view, tackling the Clicker and knocking it away before it could reach him. The canine violently snarled and rolled with the fall, positioning himself between Naruto and the Infected. Ears back and tail bristled, he snapped at the Clicker, keeping it at bay as Naruto aimed, struggling to get a clear shot.

The other man bolted by, his own Infected nearly catching him.

Naruto turned, worry clawing at him. "Rasengan,  _fetch_!"

The wolf-dog didn't hesitate, darting away and sinking his teeth into the Clicker's leg, yanking her away from the other man. The Clicker screamed, reaching for the dog.

Naruto fired off his last arrow, striking the Clicker where its ear would have been. It stumbled off, Rasengan attacking on his level.

Telltale guttural clicking drew him back just in time to block a swipe from the last Clicker as she grabbed at him. Terrified of the jaw snapping at his neck, Naruto jammed his forearm underneath the Clicker's chin as it lunged at him, pulling at him to bring them closer.

Grunting, Naruto threw her off and fled, foot catching on a half-buried log that sent him tumbling down a small hill, bow flying from his hand.

Blood welling in his mouth from a split lip and mind hazy from knocking into something hard, Naruto rolled to a stop and got to all fours, dizzy and off-balance. The Clicker bore down on him, hungry and relentless.

Before it she reached him, the Infected was hauled away, a shiv stuck into its throat. She struggled and clicked feverishly, broken teeth gnashing as her feet kicked, but the stranger forcibly pushed the blade deeper and across. The Clicker ceased moving, sinking into a puddle as the man let her go and took a step back.

Breathing heavily, Naruto slowly got to his feet, taking quick inventory of his injuries as he retrieved his bow. All superficial. "Rasengan, search." He rasped, mouth suddenly dry as he glanced at his savior. Rasengan, victorious, took off with a short bark, scouting the perimeter for more Infected. Naruto hawked out a wad of blood, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

There was no doubt. He was the spitting image of Itachi, complete with pale skin and jet-black hair. The only difference were the eyes; Itachi's had always seemed full, rather than the cold emptiness of….

Naruto  _knew_  him.

Knew his favorite snack was tomatoes. Knew his favorite color was grey. Knew he had a scar on his knee from falling off his bike. Knew he was frighteningly smart. Knew Itachi had died never seeing his brother again.

It was Sasuke.

Naruto's mouth open and closed wordlessly, unable to speak. What was he even supposed to say? His mind drew blanks. Gritting his teeth and fighting his nervousness, Naruto squared his shoulders.

"Hey."

He nearly flinched as bottomless eyes darted to him pinned him in place, framed with black, dripping bangs. Blood seeped into the white sclera of one eye, probably from one of the hits he took. Coupled with the red steadily dribbling from his forehead and chin, and the dirt smudges on his cheeks, it made him fearsome. But he didn't respond, dispassionately observing and unsettlingly quiet. His face betrayed nothing, a disturbing mask of emptiness.

Naruto felt naked under the weight of Sasuke's gaze. He tried again, a part of him amazed at how truly similar he was to Itachi. An ache settled in his chest, familiar and strong. "I'm Naruto. You alright? I saw what they did."

Again, Sasuke said nothing and Naruto briefly wondered if he could, unable to read Sasuke as he had Itachi.

A tense silence stretched on, broken only by the increasing roar of the rain and Naruto's third attempt that drifted into more silence.

A mud-coated Rasengan came back then, tail wagging and stance relaxed. He wandered over to Sasuke, sniffing him brusquely before obediently sitting down at Naruto's side, signaling they were clear.

Relieved at the distraction, Naruto withdrew a bone from his pack, tossing it to Rasengan. "Good boy, Rasengan." He scratched the dog's head as he plopped down in the mud and gnawed on his bone.

Naruto bit his bottom lip lightly, glancing down. Remembering how much Itachi talked about Sasuke and how shattered he was after being separated from him…Naruto had felt the same after Itachi died. He could only imagine how much that would have affected Sasuke. But now Sasuke was here, safe and alive.

He offhandedly noted the sky was darkening, fading to deep greys as the storm worsened. Itachi had liked thunderstorms, always taking the time to listen and rest to its unchanging lullaby; did Sasuke? How similar and different were they? He felt strange, desperate to know but completely confused. In any case, he'd need to leave to find shelter soon, unless…He jerked back to Sasuke eagerly. "We worked together pretty we—". He stopped.

Sasuke was gone.

Naruto spun around, amazed that Sasuke had been able to leave without drawing attention. Nothing but green met his frantic gaze as he jogged a few feet, searching. "No, nonono. Shit, Rasengan,  _fetch_."

Rasengan whined, pawing the ground next to his bone. His head tilted to the side as he licked his chops.

"Rasengan,  _fetch_!" Naruto insisted.

The canine whimpered, letting loose a short howl before placing his head on the ground, burying his nose with his paws.

"Dammit, the rain," Naruto realized, "you can't follow his scent in the rain. Fuck."

Disappointed and frustrated, Naruto resisted the urge to go chasing ghosts. If Rasengan couldn't find him, there was no way in hell he could. He had taken enough risks as it was— it was time to settle in. He could look another day.

Securing his bow to his pack, Naruto trudged back to the ranch house, patting down the bodies on his way. He pocketed a neat shiv and a few handgun bullets he could hand off to Iruka. As he rummaged, a feeble hand latched onto his ankle. Glancing down curiously, Naruto watched as a survivor gurgled and spit out blood and rainwater, trying to speak. Naruto shook its grip and went inside.

Starting with the bottom floor, Naruto methodically picked through the rooms, sticking anything useful into his pack. There was a first aid kit in the bathroom, along with a bottle of alcohol. The living room was empty, bereft of furniture, but a side room revealed a few rags that could be repurposed. Finding a can of pinto beans in one of the kitchen cabinets, Naruto stuck a knife into the top, cutting it open. After a cautious sniff, he ate them, grimacing at the cold, slimy texture but happy with his findings. Having his fill and giving the rest to Rasengan, he continued to search, marching up the stairway. He ignored the urge to check every nook and cranny for dark eyes and black hair, knowing it was pointless.

Although the group had resided in the ranch house, there wasn't anything to indicate they had been there long. Was that part of Sasuke's doing? Is that why they had tried to kill him?

Naruto contemplated checking one of the fenced off piles outside, but the dying light and the strength of the rain changed his mind. It would have to wait until morning.

In the chilly atmosphere of a small bedroom bathroom, Naruto stripped off his wet clothes, replacing them with a mostly damp shirt and pants. Laying them out to dry, he blocked the door with a hamper that was unfortunately only filled with clothes that were too small for him. His knife was positioned for easy reach on the sink. Stepping into the large claw-foot bathtub, Naruto curled into a tight ball, Rasengan at his side. Bow in hand, Naruto let himself drift off to sleep.

* * *

 

"It doesn't feel broken. Might be sprained." Kakashi's cool fingers prodded at the swollen ankle, pressing down hard enough to make Iruka hiss in pain and unsuccessfully jerk his foot away. The silver-haired bastard was doing it on purpose.

"I told you it wasn't broken." Iruka gritted his teeth, gazing to the side. "God-damn-it." He emphasized each word by lightly hitting his head on the wall, wincing at the renewed round of pain at the back of his skull. Dust and paint chips fluttered down, landing in his hair.

Kakashi steadily wrapped the limb with ancient bandages, eyes cast downward. Iruka already knew what he was thinking; this was going to set them back, a lot. He would be a burden to Kakashi, doubling his work load since Iruka wouldn't be able to scout for supplies or help set up camp. Worse, he was now a liability.

It was maddening.

"No, you're not." Kakashi said abruptly, grabbing Iruka's chin and forcing their eyes to meet. "Better it you than me, if we're being honest, but this shit happens. We'll deal with it, you'll get better, and we'll move on."

Stubbornly, Iruka scoffed. "Don't pretend this won't be a problem. Naruto can't take on that much, and neither can you. It's hard enough as it is."

Kakashi smirked and Iruka wanted to hit him. "On the contrary, this makes everything easier. I'll know exactly where you are, and know you're safe and sound. If anything, we still haven't tried the chain thing. This is a prime opportunity. I get back from a long day's work, and you'll be there, right where I left you and prepared, and then—"

"Kakashi be serious." Iruka cut in sharply, ignoring the other's leer and the rush of blood that never failed to darken his own cheeks.

"I am. Iruka, you could have broken it, and then where would we be? Arguably more fucked, which is why I'm happy this is only a sprain." He stood, adjusting the strap of his rifle and tossing the rest of the rope away, useless now that it had been cut. He held out a hand, bracing for Iruka's weight. "We're almost there, so hold off on the anger and blame until we find somewhere to rest and recover."

Pursing his lips but acquiescing, Iruka held onto Kakashi's hands but mainly used his good leg to stand. Kakashi's lips twitched, but he said nothing, choosing to slide beneath Iruka's arm and tug it around his shoulders, wrapping his other arm around Iruka's torso.

Fighting between his own sense of pride and affection for Kakashi, Iruka let the other take some of his weight, snatching his back pack up when Kakashi reached for it. As they plodded out of the store and onto the street, Iruka silently brewed.

It was his fault, really. He should've been more careful, especially with the allure of supplies hanging over his head. The trap in the shop had been laid out for Infected, but he'd walked right into it, triggering the rope, spraining his ankle as he was hauled into the air. His head throbbed from the solid whack it sustained as he dangled. Kakashi did always say he had a hard head, which he attributed his lack of suffering a concussion.

At least he felt fine enough.

Each step sent a wave of pain radiating through his leg, but he stomached it, not wanting to alert Kakashi. Glancing over at his partner, Iruka noted that Kakashi's cheeks were slightly sunken in, highlighting his jaw and cheek bones, but reminding Iruka of his previous days spent hungry.

They were suffering wear and tear from traveling nonstop, always on the hunt for food and shelter. Kakashi had learned the hard way that this world did not favor the nomads. Kakashi's home had been Eden, but all that had come to an end. Iruka's fault, really. If he hadn't intruded on Kakash's life, the man wouldn't be here, having to haul his ass to shelter or ration out his food.

"There's a storm coming." Kakashi remarked, drawing Iruka from his thoughts. A hand pressed into Iruka's ribs as the taller man sped up. "A big one."

Iruka did his best to help, managing a weird hop. "What are the options?" He grunted, sucking in a breath as his ankle was jostled.

"I found a barn." Kakashi said bluntly, sticking two fingers in his mouth and whistling. "Not too shabby, and it should be fairly cleaned out by now." Immediately, their wild pack of wolf-dogs erupted into view, charging out of the overgrown grass some had been hiding in, and others swooping in from further down the street.

Iruka wrinkled his nose, but kept quiet. The countryside was less forgiving than the cities. Raikiri broke from his pack, coming over to inspect Iruka, sniffing his shoes and pants before rejoining his cluster.

Farmland surrounded them, yellow and dry. Unkempt houses appeared every few miles, but offered very little in both shelter and supplies, having already been raided time and time again.

The long stretch of road was fringed with dying grass, snagging their pants as they trudged off-road, heading straight for a rustic barn that rose imposingly from a hill of what might have been wheat. Red, two-stories high and still standing, it made for shelter from the oncoming rain, welcoming them with the sweet smell of hay. The doors hung open, creaking with the wind.

They shuffled inside, taking in the haystacks lining the walls, and the rusted farm gear that lay abandoned on the floor. Iruka chose to ignore the obvious bloodstains on the equipment, looking instead for a clean spot to rest in. He found it amidst a pile of dry haystacks that created a makeshift bed.

Plopping down onto the hay, begrudgingly with Kakashi's help, Iruka lifted his leg, inspecting his ankle. Around Kakash's wrapping, it was darkening, morphing into a strange purple undertone that seemed almost black. The skin was taunt and hot beneath his fingers. Gingerly pulling off his shoe, he bit his bottom lip. He would certainly be out for a couple of days to let it heal properly. Stupid trap.

Testing his mobility, Iruka eyed the bloodied farm paraphernalia, looking up to see Kakashi gazing at them too. Their eyes met. "I'd say a day, maybe a day and a half if we're lucky."

Kakashi scratched the scruff lining his jaw. "They'll be back sooner. That trap was hours old."

Iruka nodded, "What's your guess?"

"No more than four. They couldn't afford to leave anyone behind." The taller man dropped his pack next to Iruka as he ambled over to the built-in ladder that lead to the upper loft. They creaked noisily as he ascended. "…and couldn't afford to take anything with them." Disappearing from Iruka's sight, Kakashi was hidden by barrels before popping back up, dirty backpacks in both hands. "They're full."

Antsy from just sitting, Iruka struggled to his feet, ignoring Kakashi's reproachful scowl. "Rivals?" He hopped over, reaching Kakashi as he touched back down. "Or Infected?" Leaning on a wooden column, Iruka peeked into the bag, eyebrows raising at the goods inside.

"Must've been Infected. Any other scavenger would have taken this with them." Kakashi whistled lowly as he pulled a firearm from his pack, dropping the bag to handle the pistol reverently with both hands. "She's heavy, but she's a beauty. I'm in love."

Iruka gave a small smile. "Careful, I might just end up using it on you."

A single grey eye peered at him through the mounted scope. "I'd be begging you to. Shame it only holds a single shot."

"Is there at least ammo in there?"

"There's a mix, I'll have to sort it out. I saw some .38s, maybe some .45s." Slinging the bag over his shoulder, Kakashi smoothly grabbed Iruka's waist, carefully hauling him back to the haystack bed.

"Brute." Iruka muttered under his breath, clutching Kakashi's back as he fought a wide grin.

Kakashi smirked. "The patient shall remain in bed until they're healed. I will tie you down,  _sensei_." Pushing Iruka on his back, he pulled the other pack away, crawling over the brunet to hover above him.

"Barbarian." Iruka retorted, furrowing his brows to appear mad, knowing the heat on his cheeks gave him away. "Neanderthal."

"If we ever find a cave, we can add caveman to the list."

Iruka reached up and cupped Kakashi's cheeks, feeling the grey stubble and the cut of Kakashi's cheekbones. He met Kakashi's amused gaze and rolled his eyes. "It still surprises me how perverted you can be, especially at the most inopportune times."

Kakashi leaned down, resting his forehead onto Iruka's. "I've lulled you into a false sense of security. You haven't seen anything yet."

"I shudder at the thought." Iruka glanced away, suddenly unnerved by the intensity of Kakashi's direct stare. The ex-militant was always digging deeper than he should. Iruka poked Kakashi's side. "Off."

With an exaggerated sigh, Kakashi rolled off Iruka, grabbing the shotgun he had set aside. Iruka sat up, moving to join him on instinct before pain flared in his ankle. "Ah,  _fuck_."

"You, stay." Kakashi ordered, voice adopting the steely edge that served as a warning against disobedience. He grabbed his own pack, gearing up. "I'll stay close by, but the markers need to be spread out."

Iruka's lightened mood vanished, once again faced with the reality of his injury. He'd normally set up the markers for Naruto while Kakashi scouted with the wolves, but now Kakashi would need to do both jobs.

It would take him hours.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"Oi, don't."

Iruka winced at Kakashi's tone. "If I'd been more careful…if I had seen the trap…" If he hadn't let Itachi in, none of this would be happening.

"Iruka, stop. You're starting to piss me off." Kakashi snapped.

Iruka licked his chapped lips, biting down his words. He didn't want to fight, not right now. He bowed his head, letting his hair fall forward and hide his face. Thunder rumbled overhead, sending the barn into a series of creaks and groans.

Iruka searched for something to alleviate the atmosphere. "Naruto is due back by the full moon." Through the oily strands he saw Kakashi's body turn to him. The other was silent for a moment before responding.

"Two days. You're worried."

"You know I'm always worried. He's reckless."

Kakashi grunted in agreement. "He's getting better. At least he listens to you."

The brunet's head shot up, heart beating painfully. "He's a kid, he doesn't mean to blame you—"

"He's not the only one with blame issues." Kakashi cut in, sharpened eyes piercing through Iruka.

Iruka froze, blindsided. "...you know I'm right."

"Iruka, there's no point in thinking like this. It's a waste of time and energy, and you know it. Look, you're not being fair to yourself."

"…"

He did know it. He knew Kakashi was right, and yet he still felt at fault, even years later. It came and went, creeping up unexpectedly to wrack him with guilt. He should have known Kakashi could tell. "I feel like I've dragged you into my world." He admitted softly, fingers tracing the scar that cut across the bridge of his nose.

Kakashi let out a short chuckle. "I got here on my own. But I appreciate the company."

Iruka's lips curled slightly. "Go," he murmured, "I'll be here."

The silver-haired man gave a short nod, immediately heading out. Iruka didn't look as Kakashi sealed the barn doors, effectively locking him in.

Suddenly aware of the strength of the rain on the roof, Iruka began to wait.


	2. The Separation and Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout-out to HazelBeka for looking this chapter over :)

It was still raining when he woke.

The rain was softer, falling in a muted rush that hinted that the majority of last night’s storm was over.

Surrounded by swaths of shifting grey hues, Naruto groggily judged it to be early morning, maybe after dawn. Curled up next to him, Rasengan slept soundly, head resting on Naruto’s leg while his chest rose and fell with deep breaths. Neck stiff from the curve of the bathtub, Naruto fruitlessly tried to rub the kink out, giving himself a long moment to plan and mentally prepare for the day. He watched the filthy curtain that hung rotted over the window next to the tub, lazily following its undulating dance in the humid wind.

He would need to finish scouting out this zone within the day or risk losing Iruka and Kakashi’s position when he returned. Key areas of his map remained unexplored and labeled, and he had yet to find a new base point or resupply camp. Time was quickly running out.

Naruto let his head fall back and rest on the lip of the tub, feeling grime give way as he moved; the faint odor of something old and moldy wafted by. Yesterday’s… i _ncident_ had completely fucked his plans, giving him consequences he’d willingly ignored.

Thought, he wouldn’t lie to himself. It had been worth it.

Naruto had never let himself entertain the thought of meeting Itachi’s long lost brother; it was simply pointless. Itachi had said Sasuke was dead, and that was that. But now--Itachi had been positive that Sasuke was killed during their initial separation. The elder Uchiha’s stories had been so set, so stark in their certainty. How had he been wrong?

He’d actually _seen_ Sasuke, a flesh and blood man, not a ghost. He’d actually fought alongside him. Only the pain from yesterday’s injuries helped validate the encounter. Now, the vague character he had nurtured from Itachi’s memories was gone, a poor, childish imitation permanently replaced by chilling black eyes and pale skin. They looked so much alike; it was almost unsettling. How had Sasuke survived without Itachi? Was he alone? Where did he go? Was he injured at all from the beating he received?

It would have been nice to hear him speak, if only just a single word.

Question after question swirled in Naruto’s mind, at once annoying him and increasing his curiosity tenfold. He blinked and unfocused blue eyes suddenly sharpened. The only way to find out was to ask the man himself. Which meant tracking him down.

Challenging, but not impossible.

_But_ , cut in a voice that sounded scarily like Kakashi, _looking for Sasuke is not in the plan. You don’t know this area, where would you even begin to look? What would you accomplish? Stick to the plan._

Naruto snorted, further annoyed. He nudged his furry companion awake as he leaned to peek out the window, gently pulling back the curtain. Through the grey mist, nothing moved. He watched for a few moments before deciding they were clear. Rasengan yawned and tucked his head down with snort, bringing a heavy paw down on Naruto’s leg.

“C’mon, stop being lazy. We have work to do.” Naruto stood and hopped out of the tub, shivering as his body warmth was sapped by the chilly air. Snagging his weapons in swift movements and strapping them on, he paused as the wolf-dog finally leapt out onto nimble feet, shaking off the last bouts of sleep.

“Rasengan, gimme some advice,” he began, tucking away his damp clothes and removing his haphazard barricade. “Either I look for Sasuke and don’t find him and end up wasting my time, or I don’t look for him and do what I’m supposed to do. I think you know which I’d prefer.” Rasengan, to his credit, met Naruto’s gaze and let out a short whine, adjusting his sitting position. His tail wagged lightly.

“Yea, I could do a mix both.” Naruto slowly opened the door and gave Rasengan the _hunt_ signal. He watched the canine bolt out and down the stairs. “I owe it to Itachi, honestly,” he spoke aloud, sadness creeping in the more he thought about him. “He was there for me when no one else was, and the least I can do for him is to make sure Sasuke is okay. Hell, if it works out, Sasuke might be able to help _me_ out.”

Blunt fingers brushed his right forearm absentmindedly, thumb rubbing in a small arc. He gave a single, resolute nod. “I need to do this. This is the one thing I can do right.”

Willing away the melancholy memories, Naruto steeled himself and marched down the steps, eyes tracking how relaxed Rasengan was as he finished his rounds. It would be hard to finish his scouting missions and supply runs while looking for Sasuke, but he would make it work. Naruto was nothing if not confident. Or stupidly stubborn, if you asked Iruka.

Once in the kitchen, Naruto did a quick inventory of his remaining arrowheads. Uneasiness crept into his stomach and settled in as he counted once more. He was already out of usable arrows, and now he was down on arrowheads.

“Shit.”

He didn’t have the time to stop and make more; these would have to suffice. He had a rifle for emergencies, but he refrained from using it for as much as possible. Vowing to never allow his supply to dwindle again, Naruto pocketed the remaining few and set off to follow Rasengan, spotting the canine sniffing along the path leading to the ranch. He whistled loudly, the sound muffled by the rain. “Rasengan, _back_. We need to check the supply piles.” By the way the piles had been protected, there was bound to be something valuable.

Not paying mind to the bloody and fungus-filled carnage that coated the backyard, Naruto sidestepped viscera-filled puddles and eagerly set about raiding the piles of suitcases. His eagerness waned and suspicion quickly set in as the first suitcases and boxes proved empty.

“A trap,” he hissed, glancing towards the enclosure that had held the Infected, eyes lingering on the bodies of the uninfected. He grimaced. Not bothering to check the remaining boxes, Naruto lifted his hood and left.

* * *

Rainwater dripped steadily into the rusty trough, the constant ripples hiding the sandy sediment that nestled at the bottom.

Dipping a rag into the trough, Iruka wrung out the water and scrubbed his face, wiping away several week-old layers of dirt and sweat. Removing his shirt, he scoured his torso and arms, working mechanically. Goosebumps rose along his extremities and he shivered, dunking the rag back in. The opportunities to get clean were few and far between, and the ice cold water wasn’t going to stop him.

With a small bucket he found, Iruka poured water over his head, grimacing at the temperature as small rivulets ran down his nape and over hundreds of small scars and nicks, the worst of which were clustered in the middle of his back, over his spine. There he felt nothing.

The brunet tried to finger-comb his hair, patiently prying apart the wild tangles and knots, surprised at how long his hair was when he finished. He’d always kept it long in the past, but this was ridiculous; it hung past his chest, reaching towards his stomach. Using one of his own blades, Iruka sliced away chunks of his hair, watching the strands fall as he cut. He aimed to his shoulder, just like it used to be.

As he cut, it was strangely comforting to feel how short it was becoming. The weight was the reason he kept it trimmed. That, and University recommendations, though there were quite a few professors that liked to stand out and make a statement.

Curiously, Kakashi’s hair, the gravity-defying phenomenon that it was, never seemed to change. Even after Iruka moved in with him, it stayed the same and Kakashi hadn’t cared for jokes about already going grey. A small smiled played at Iruka’s lips, fading as quickly as it had come. It had been so much easier then, before everything had been ruined.

“ _No._ Self-destructive thinking isn’t the best way to deal with this,” he muttered, picking up the rag to resume his bath with renewed determination. “Focus on the present, remember what Kakashi keeps telling you.” He then paused, mind wandering down a new path. Kakashi had been gone for what seemed like hours now. It wasn’t uncommon, but when you’re seldom alone, time is distorted.

The fear that something had gone wrong, or would go wrong, never left, a pervasive, nasty shadow that hung in the recesses of his mind, slithering out whenever they were separated. Years of the same pattern hadn’t abated the feeling, only taught him more things to fear.

And even if Kakashi were in trouble, he couldn’t do anything about it. The rag came to a stop at his injured ankle, the cold water contrasting violently with the heat of his skin. Iruka gritted his teeth as helpless anger turned his knuckles white. He honestly should be grateful he hadn’t broken it, but that didn’t detract from the liability he’d become. He couldn’t run away if they were attacked. He was susceptible to being zeroed out as the weakest. There was no doubt in his mind that Kakashi would put himself in danger to help him, _because he’s done it before_ , and then Kakashi would be injured with Naruto being tasked to--

With a flick of his wrist, he flung the rag into the water, fed up with himself and his ankle. “Fuck, enough. Kakashi is fine, I’m fine, and what I should be focusing on is healing.” He stood carefully, angrily ignoring the sharp lances of pain that shot up his leg, and shuffled over to their supply packs. Earlier, he set out a clean shirt, a strip of cloth, duct tape, and a few pieces of wood.

Binding his ankle almost too tightly in the cloth, Iruka strapped the pieces of wood on either side of leg, wrapping duct tape around to keep everything in place. “Good as new.” He deadpanned, wishing Kakashi was there to distract him from his thoughts.

Iruka slipped on the navy long-sleeve shirt that was several sizes too big for him. Tugging the sleeves back, and pulling his hair into a short ponytail, he began to take stock and sort their remaining supplies, determined to be somewhat useful. Between himself, Kakashi, and Naruto, Iruka estimated they had around two weeks worth of canned food and around a week’s worth of perishable items, even accounting for the portion Naruto had taken. They were relatively safe on medical supplies, and with the new ammo and gun Kakashi had found, they were good for weapons.

Tired eyes stared hard at the cans of beans on his right, acknowledging a steadily rising pang of hunger. Depending on how long it would take for his ankle to heal, he could divide his portion with Kakashi or Naruto. They would be expending more energy, requiring a greater caloric intake.

“It’s not self-sacrifice, it’s smart,” he insisted, glancing away as he anticipated Kakashi’s response and Naruto’s refusal. Neither of them would be willing to do it, but it would be necessary and only temporary.

Sighing, he began neatly packing everything away into the two backpacks. The cans went first, with their reserves of dried jerky and stale snacks next. The few fruits they owned sat on top. Mouth watering a the weight of the apples in his hand, Iruka gently placed one in each pack, frowning when Kakashi’s pack fell over and one of the apples rolled out. It traveled a few feet, bumping into a messy stack of hay bales in the middle of the barn.

Iruka glared at the apple, grumbling as he stood to retrieve it. Bending down without agitating his ankle, he reached for the apple and stopped, gazing past the fruit. There was an unnatural edge of raised ground, right where the hay bales sat. Iruka curiously brushed the dirt away, faltering when a rusted iron ring became visible.

“Oh. Oh shit.”

An unaccounted for entryway was _dangerous_. Alarmed, he shoved the bales to the side, exposing a dusty wooden trapdoor. Iruka kneeled on one leg and fingered the ring nervously, testing the weight. He was surprised when the door swung open noiselessly, feeding his discontent.

A blast of the sweet earthy smell of fungus and water burst out of the inky darkness, beckoning Iruka. The brunet launched himself backwards, covering his mouth and nose with the back of his hand. He clamped down on a yell of pain as his ankle struck the ground, throbbing in tune with the gallop of his heart. He could see floating spores dance away, free. Were Infected about to pour through?!

Making a mad scramble to the packs, Iruka snatched up a large hunting blade and a gas mask, adrenaline spiking through his veins. Jamming on the mask, he spun around, body taut and knife at the ready.

A second ticked by, but nothing happened..

Not lowering his knife a degree, Iruka blindly scooped up a flashlight, eyes on the trapdoor. He inched closer and snapped the light on, the beam steady. Through the scratched plastic of the gas mask, he could faintly see a deep crawl space that gleamed vividly with a sea of viscera-colored fungus. Ropy columns of spore sprouts reached up, swaying back and forth. Thick crusts of orange and pink fungal plates layered the walls, the roots spreading as if spiderwebs. Beneath yellow spongy masses, Iruka spotted black electricity cables, the plastic shining dully in the circle of his light.

“Oh fuck.” _Make yourself useful._ He had to go in.

Shuffling back to their supplies, Iruka grabbed one of his guns and checked the clip, snapping it in place as he grabbed a couple boxes of ammo and an extra flashlight. There were no Infected present, but it was best to be safe. In any case, he would be brief. He tucked the items away in a pouch he tied around his waist.

At the entrance, he chewed his lower lip as he judged the drop, guessing it was around five or six feet--doable, even with his injury. The crawl space itself was only three feet across. Managing to sit on the edge and letting his feet dangle in, Iruka rolled to his stomach, pushing himself in. He held onto the edge for dear life, feeling out the bottom with his good leg as soft material gave way beneath his foot, becoming slippery and loose. He desperately tried not to think about what he was stepping on as he let go.

Immediately enveloped in a warm cave of Cordyceps, Iruka cringed, hyper aware that only a thin mask separated him from inhaling the infection. It was nauseating how humid and yellow the air was, clouded with millions of free-floating spores. Mindful of his ankle, Iruka turned in a small circle, inspecting the thick tendrils of fungi that clung to the ceiling of the tunnel, following them to their roots hidden deep into pink and orange flower-like growths. Tall tubules of Cordyceps grew from a several source points, before grouping into different phases of the fungi’s life.

From what he could piece together, the Infected had found a way in and ended up rotting away, becoming a spore nest.

Iruka’s eyes flickered to the rest of the tunnel, seeing nothing in the dark. If that were true, there was an exit somewhere, probably leading into the field around the farm. This could be nothing more than an emergency escape.

On the other hand, it could an Infected pit, with Stalkers poised to attack.

Either way, he was going to find out.

* * *

Cutting through the woods to avoid gridlocked roads, Naruto glanced around, continuing to search.

With each house he had raided, he was careful to double check for any signs of being a home base, braving the occasional basement and attic. Each convenience store he passed, he looked for supplies and a mop of black hair. Even the dead cars on the road received a cursory glance, just to be on the safe side.

He searched and searched as the sun traveled across the sky.

His hopes of finding the dark-haired man dwindled with the hours, disappointment weighing heavily in his chest and slowing his once confident strides. Rasengan had tried his best, tracking stray scents with single-minded focus, but to no avail. Every conceivable location Sasuke could’ve used had been checked and he was still missing.

His last hope remained in the city.

Standing right at the cusp where the suburbs melted into tall skyscrapers and countless shops, Naruto eyed the enormous buildings with distrust. The blond hated cities. He avoided them at all costs, choosing to go around them rather than through. Naruto rubbed at the scars on his cheeks, phantom pain causing them to tingle. Nothing good ever happened in cities.

He might have to give up if Sasuke was in the concrete jungle. There was no way to find him and be able to get back to Iruka and Kakashi in time.

Naruto began to pace, never stepping foot into the roads that led into the city. “I can’t come this far to just give up. I can’t let Itachi down again,” he growled with frustration, eyes zig-zagging from building to building, furtively searching. “Fuck, I didn’t know we were this close to a goddamn city. Shit. What do I do?” Rasengan barked at him, circling in agitation but Naruto ignored the canine, hating the feeling of failure that was filling him. Just being this close was making him jumpy and upset.

Peaking in desperation, Naruto cupped his hands around his mouth and took a deep breath. “Hey, It’s me!” he shouted, watching birds erupt from nearby trees, startled. He was tempted to shout Sasuke’s name, but he wasn’t ready for the questions it would bring.

“I’m not an enemy, I just want to talk! Please! _”_ Silence answered him and he made a final foolish try. “Answer me!” The last vestiges of hope died away as his cries slowly fading. “Dammit,” Naruto said softly, heart sinking in his chest. “Rasengan, we can’t go in there. I can’t.”

The last time he was in a city, Itachi had died. Iruka had almost died, and Kakashi had nearly killed him. No, cities were bad.

Rasengan’s ears suddenly perked and he ceased circling, glancing towards two main roads that led into some boulevard. The canine’s head cocked as a low growl rumbled in his chest, tail bristling.

Naruto yanked himself out of his memories and pulled the rifle off his shoulder, tracking the canine’s gaze through the scope. “What do you see, what do you see?” he said excitedly, searching the tall grass for a lone, dark figure. Had Sasuke heard him? A second later, he spotted the small brown hare that captured Rasengan’s attention. The disappointment that hit him was instantly eclipsed by a sudden growl from his stomach. _Food!_

“Rasengan, _catch_ ,” Naruto ordered, quickly slinging the rifle over his shoulder and taking off. The German Shepherd hybrid bolted past him, nails raking against tar as he chased the startled hare. The animals vanished into the chest-high grass, weaving in and out before bursting onto street lanes.

Naruto followed suit after a moment of hesitation, dodging in between rotting cars and overgrown flora. As long as he didn’t go in, it was fine. “Fuck, I need my arrows,” he breathed, grabbing the top of a misplaced concrete lane divider and vaulting over it. A bullet would ruin the meat, and Rasengan often shredded the animal in his excitement.

Hopping on top of a rusted sedan, Naruto jumped nimbly from car to car, shattering windshields as he fought to keep up. Twice he nearly fell off, stumbling as weathered metal caved beneath his boots. Rasengan was a brown blur as he darted around the cars, and the hare was nowhere in sight. Panting, Naruto stopped. Any further and he would be surrounded by concrete husks. He would have to let Rasengan take this.

He pursed his lips to give Rasengan the proper whistle command but paused when he caught the hare bounding into a huge, dilapidated building, scurrying underneath a metal garage door. Horrified, Naruto watched Rasengan fly in after him.

“Oh fuck, Rasengan, no!” Alarm ripped Naruto off the car and he sprinted after them, his own fear shutting down as worry for the canine skyrocketed, propelling him forward. “Rasengan, NO, no! Raz! Stop! No!!” Nearing the entrance, he dropped and slid in, springing to his feet. Rifle back in his hands, Naruto swept the room, his finger trembling on the trigger while his heart hammered away wildly in his chest. The room was surprisingly void of angry Infected reaching to tear him to pieces. It was a small relief.

“Raz? _Raz_?” he whispered as loud as he could, squinting. With the small amount of light shining from the bottom of the garage door, he could see he was in a small store. Faded pink and green assaulted his eyes as he looked around, searching for his dog. “Swirls Yogurt bar,” he murmured, reading the white lettering hanging over weird machines. “The hell? What is this?”

He cautiously flicked the rifle’s mounted flashlight on, the small beam strong enough to somewhat light the room. The circle of white trailed over tables and chairs, glinting off metals and dull plastics. Pointing at the ground, Naruto spied heavy paw prints in the dirt coating the tiles.

Moving to follow the prints, Naruto stepped around a bloodied mattress lying in the middle of the checkered floor, eyeing it warily before calling out another, “Rasengan?”

The prints led to and continued beneath another partially-closed gate. _Shit._ Rasengan must’ve chased the hare through the store and deeper into the building. _Double shit._ It would be infested with Infected-- way too fucking many for them to be able to deal with safely.

The Infected never turned dogs—but they could hurt them, bad. Without the backup of the pack, or even Naruto there with him, Rasengan could easily be overwhelmed and torn apart by whatever Infected he angered.

Knowing he was stepping directly into Infected territory with nothing but a rifle with limited ammo and a bow with no arrows, Naruto swallowed heavily and set his gun on the ground as he slowly grasped the bottom of the gate and pulled. Each noisy _chink_ of metal sent his pulse through the roof; his palms grew damn and cold. Straining to hear any sounds of Infected, Naruto decided he had enough room to pass and carefully scooted under, silently begging the gate to keep still. The gate seemed to pity him and remained open, offering an emergency exit.

Naruto let out a shaky breath. He grabbed his gun and turned around, eyes widening.

On this side, building expanded into huge open area with different levels and connecting metal stairways. Chunks of the floors had fallen away, exposing shards of rebar beams. Stores lined every wall, all closed and shuttered off except for the few that were broken into. From above, rays of sunlight poured through the giant skylights. Thick branches full of colorful plants spilled from atop and through the shattered glass, reaching deep into the bowels of the building.

Nervous, Naruto gripped his weapon tighter. The place might be big but it was enclosed, meaning that if he ran into a mob, he was as good as dead.

“Gotta find Rasengan,” he muttered, shutting off his light and ignoring the instincts that screamed at him to leave. He was this far in, he wasn’t going anywhere until Rasengan was safe.

The blond began to follow the rest of the paw prints, constantly glancing around for hidden Infected. Briefly staring at a tall statue of a headless man on a horse, both positioned to attack, Naruto started up one of the escalators, aware of how loud his footsteps were. Despite how lightly he stepped, he was creating a pattern anyone could trace to reach him.

“Fuck, Rasengan. Where the hell are you?” He huffed under his breath, reaching the second floor. Around him, more stores were boarded up, neon yellow warnings signs tacked on their windows. Spray paint had been used to signal which stores had Infected locked inside. Chances were the Infected were long decayed, but Naruto had no intention of finding out.

The back of his neck itched as he walked, warning him he was being watched.

Spinning around in a tight circle, Naruto glanced around wildly, detesting how vulnerable he was. This area hadn’t shown signs of Hunters, but this was the city; all bets were off. Unable to find the source of his discomfort, Naruto tried to force his paranoia down. “If you’re going to jump out at me, go ahead and fucking do it,” he said quietly.

From the escalator he made a sharp right, able to see the hare’s prints in the dust. There weren’t any fluffs of hair to indicate Rasengan had gotten close, which meant they must have gone further in.

Up ahead, tall medical curtains blocked off the hallway. The tops were threaded with barbed wire and quarantine flags demanding citizen cooperation. Guard posts stood on each corner, obviously vacated given the state of the quarantine zone. A large white tent sat behind the wall of pea-green curtains, a white cross inside of a red circle adoring the front.

Naruto’s eyes zeroed in on the tent. It was unlikely, but there might be medical supplies inside. Clean, unused supplies he could take! Turning back to the prints, Naruto promised to return. Rasengan came first.

Naruto tracked the trail as it wove in and out of raided clothing stores, through a disappointingly empty pharmacy, and down two sets of stairways. Each step that took him further in made him more tense. He didn’t know where the fuck he was going, nor how to get out when the time inevitably came to leave. The place was like a maze, and it creeped him out.

He froze when he came to a mess of bright red blood and fur.

Naruto slammed down on his panic, shoving it behind a mental wall. It wasn’t Rasengan’s fur, it was the hare’s but what turned his blood to ice was that the paw prints he’d been trailing were gone, smudged by a shit-ton of human footprints.

“Please be hiding, please be hiding,” Naruto began to chant, jogging as he followed the path of the new prints to a section of the mall that lay in darkness. The skylights ended and the sunlight didn’t reach in. Slapping on his light, Naruto braced himself, the rifle steady in his hands. He stepped further in and felt a chill surround him, wrapping around his chest. “Raz? You in here?” he whispered, searching desperately for any signs of the canine.

The room felt as large as a warehouse, with vans and semi-trucks dotting the area. “Maintenance Area, Authorized Personnel Only,” Naruto breathed, reading off of a sign next to another door. He entered and covered the beam, giving himself short bursts of light to see. He didn’t want to make it easier to find him than it already was.

The next room held hundreds of broken mannequins, all with strangely empty faces and missing limbs. Momentarily startled by the human-like figures, Naruto cursed, forcing away the fear that threatened to overtake him. Old machines and electronics were stacked on the walls, stretching further than his flashlight reached. “Rasengan, we have to go,” he called out softly, risking being attacked. “We have to go, _now.”_

A small, familiar whine responded, coming from his left. Rasengan!

Relief flooded Naruto and he uncovered his beam, shining it into the black that surrounded him. He couldn’t see the mutt, but Rasengan sounded okay. “Raz?” Another quiet whine and Naruto located the German Shepherd hybrid; Rasengan was squirreled away between some moldy wooden pallets. His eyes gleamed in the light, becoming green circles. “Raz, c’mon buddy, let’s get out of here.”

The dog didn’t move, letting loose a whimper. His gaze focused on something away from Naruto, ears pulling back.

Terrified, Naruto covered his beam and went still, hearing the labored breathing of more than one Infected begin to rise. Pained grunts and moans became louder as several Runners moved about, most likely drawn by the light. Underneath their groans, measured clicks faded in and out.

It was time to go.

“Raz, move,” Naruto whispered as he took a step back and immediately regretted it.

Glass shattered loudly, breaking further as his foot crushed the finer chunks. Naruto’s heart stopped before erupting into frantic beat as a mixture of Clickers and Runners screamed, converging on him. He brought the rifle up and fungus-covered bodies shot into view, coming from the black like spiders.

“Rasengan, RUN!” Naruto howled, firing off a few shots blindly before whirling around and racing towards the way he came, Rasengan hot on his heels and barking madly.

Naruto burst out into the open area of the building, going down the first clear path he spotted, unable to remember which way the exit was. Not willing to look behind him, he could hear the Clicker’s rapid footsteps catching up, already imagining their clawed hands catching him. Their high-pitched clicks felt like jaws snapping at him. “Which way, which way!?” he cried, glancing around frantically, Rasengan’s harsh barks echoing horribly. “Everything looks the fucking same!”

Rounding a corner, Naruto saw the medical tents far on the other side of the building and headed for them, hoping he could cut through one of the stores to get to the other side. He chanced a peek at his pursuers and the blood drained from his face. No less than eight Infected were on his ass, the majority being Clickers. Their teeth gnashed at the air and they clicked furiously, rabidly, intent on killing him. They were too close!

“Oh, fuck me! Rasengan, just go! Go!”

Jamming a hand into his pack, Naruto carefully yanked out a tin can punctured with nails and scissor blades. He took a precious second to set it on the floor, hauling back as the Infected closed in. The minute a few Clickers neared the can, it violently exploded, sending shrapnel everywhere. Two Clickers went down, riddled with metal.

“Dammit, only two!”

Out of bows, nearly out of ammo, and having wasted his last nail bomb, Naruto ran. His legs burned, beginning to slow as he tired. He wouldn’t be able to make it to the tents, not that they held any safety. He was fucked.

Like a ghost from the best and worst dream he’d ever had, Sasuke Uchiha stepped out from another concourse, a shotgun loaded and primed in his hands. He raised it, intense eyes meeting Naruto’s shocked blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The cliffhangers are back.


	3. Crossroads

Naruto skidded as he tried to stop, feet slipping out from under him, eyes wide and on the gun in Sasuke’s hands. He landed with a hard thud, grit digging painfully into his palms as he braced himself, vacillating between running back to Infected or towards Sasuke, certain he was about to die either way.

Sasuke ignored him, obsidian eyes trained on the pack of Infected as he approached, planting his feet firmly on the ground and raising the shotgun.

Deafening shot after shot blasted over Naruto’s head and into the crowd of Infected. Ears ringing, Naruto twisted in time to see the head of one of the Clickers rupture in cloud of yellow and red, the body landing heavily to the floor. Another bullet punched through the chest of a Runner, sending it sprawling into the dried out fountain at the center of the hallway, gurgling and gasping.

Elated, confused, and overwhelmed, Naruto couldn’t figure out what the fuck to feel or think. How had Sasuke known where to find him? Where had he come from? Why was he helping? The blond quickly shoved all errant thoughts into a corner of his mind, watching another Infected go down, most of its shoulder relocated to the floor. 

Naruto leapt to his feet and withdrew, aware the Infected were still advancing and that they were severely outnumbered. He knew more would be drawn by the noise, possibly surrounding them, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it; without his bow, he was useless.

Seeing his chance, Rasengan bolted from Naruto’s side and pounced on a Clicker at the head of the crowd, jaws locking around its neck and using its own weight to bring it down. He bit and tore, claws shredding through Infected flesh with ease. The Clicker’s taloned fingers sunk into Rasengan’s flank, ripping the canine up and off. Snarling, Rasengan’s nails scraped the floor as he steadied himself, rearing back for another attack.

As expected, more Runners surfaced from the unexplored sections of the building, howling and ready for blood. Naruto’s mouth went dry as he picked up the tell-tale blue-hued fungus of a couple of Stalkers. They didn’t attack, choosing instead to watch from afar, swaying with malintent. 

They had to retreat,  _ now. _

Naruto backed up closer to Sasuke, giving him a wide berth. “There’s too many, we have to get out of here!” He warned, inching away, eyes flitting from the other man to the Infected repeatedly, unwilling to go further if the other didn’t comply. He’d make sure Sasuke didn’t leave his sight until  _ after  _ they were safe.

Sasuke seemed to agree as he quickly switched to a pistol and began to jog the other way, slipping into a run. He fired off a few shots, but the Infected hunted them, nipping at their heels. Storefronts began to rattle, waking Infected demanding to be freed. The screeches were ear-piercing, bouncing off the walls, coalescing into a painful cacophony of noise that followed them.

Whistling sharply for Rasengan, Naruto pumped his legs hard, desperate to get ahead and find a way out. He could scarcely hear the roar of Infected over the rush of blood in his ears, over the crazy beat of their footsteps. A small, unmentionable portion of himself stretched, reveling in the danger of their situation; Naruto locked it away as fast as it had come.

He dodged pointless crowd control barriers and built-in décor that obstructed their path, avoiding patches of broken tile that gleamed evilly, waiting to cause a slip. He searched for the tents he’d seen earlier, hoping he’d be able to retrace his steps to an exit.

The building opened up into a wider area shaped like a hexagon with each corner splitting into a hall. Sunlight filtering down through a giant hole in the ceiling, the edges creating strange shadows across the floor, glimmering in shallow puddles of water pitting the ground and soaking into sets of moth-eaten couches and empty pots of soil. Beyond this area, Naruto couldn’t see.

“Where’s the fucking exit?!” Naruto bellowed, partly to himself and partly to Sasuke, glancing around as none of the surrounding stores appearing familiar. Each path led further into the building, screwing with his sense of direction. He could hear the faint cries of more Infected streaming towards them,  _ but where were they coming from? _ Which direction was safe?

Choosing the leftmost route,  Naruto immediately backpedaled after taking a few steps in, seeing the barricades and chunks of fallen ceiling blocking the way. Bio-hazard signs were plastered all around, interspersed with skulls and crossbones. “ _ Shit, _ wrong way, wrong way!” he cried out, heart banging against his ribcage as the Infected gained ground with his mistake, uninhibited by taxed muscles. His vision was becoming spotty as he struggled to breathe. 

At the intersection, Sasuke continued straight, eyes scanning attentively as he reloaded his weapons. Movement on his right drew his gaze and a volley of bullets. Infected limbs that stretched through gates of a shoe store were riddled, falling back and silenced. Distant screams filled their absence.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Naruto fought to catch up as Rasengan doubled back to wound the nearest Runner, being careful not to get clawed again. “Rasengan,  _ back _ !” Naruto yelled sharply, fear wrapping an icy hand around his chest.

A stampede of clicking and screaming rose in front of them, halting their party. More Infected poured from another department store, clamoring to meet them head on and ending any idea of getting behind them. Their blue fungus glowed like beacons as they broke out into a run, coming at them. Naruto came to a standstill, eyes wide and horrified. “Wh –?”

Sasuke brushed by him curtly, barely pausing as he switched course. The dark-haired man jumped onto the broken stairway that hung to their left. Structurally unsound and broad, it led to a sharp right angle before connecting with the upper floor. Large sections had crumbled away, peppering the ground with pointy rubble and metal. Sasuke rapidly scaled the opposite side, ignoring the dust that rose from the concrete grinding into itself.

Naruto copied him after a second of hesitation, whistling for Rasengan once more and grabbing the banister to hop on. He gritted his teeth as he climbed, feeling the stairway give a little under his weight, forcing him to step on the edges closest to the banister. It wiggled in his grip, threatening to break off. Naruto rushed to get off before it collapsed, fighting the burn in his legs that slowed him down. The German Shepard hybrid followed closely, skipping steps gracefully and waiting at the top for Naruto.

A few Runners reached the base of the stairway right as Naruto exited, warring to climb up en mass. Some toppled over, blocking the beginning section and buying them a few seconds. 

Breathless, Naruto distanced himself from the stairway, eyes glued on Sasuke. The dark-haired man barely seemed winded, methodically switching to a different firearm, stashing the other in the slim pack mounted on his back. He stationed himself at the top of the stairs, aiming down. Familiar lines of concentration on his face made Naruto’s stomach do a strange flip and he looked away. It was a miracle they were all in one piece, but the danger wasn’t over. A few Runners materialized from the darkened areas of their level, drawn by the noise.

It was on the tip of Naruto’s tongue to ask for a weapon, but the uncertainty of Sasuke’s reply kept him silent. He spun around, searching for a shovel, a pipe, a fucking brick,  _ anything _ he could use for defense. 

Azure eyes narrowed when they landed on the sporting goods store behind them. It wasn’t fully shut down, the gate only partially closed. A flame of hope lit in his chest and he was running for the shop before he knew it, dodging the arms of a stray Runner. “Hold on, I’ll be back!” he shouted, hoping Sasuke heard him. This was  _ risky _ . The shouting and screaming faded as he reached the gate, clawing underneath and rolling in.

Inside, the store was an utter mess, with useless merchandise strewn about that impeded his way. “C’mon, where is it, where is it!” he growled, squeezing past broken display shelves and sporting gear that surprisingly hadn’t rotted yet, wading through waist-high junk. Each second he spent crawling over debris was a second Sasuke and Rasengan were in danger. They needed him.

Naruto rapidly reached the furthest part of the shop, following the practically illegible ceiling signs that hung precariously, chains threatening to snap. There, he found what he’d been looking for. The hunting section had been mostly stripped of all its goods; no fishing paraphernalia, no camping gear, no rifles –the only items remaining demanded a certain skill subset to be used. 

Remarkably untouched by time and weather, a set of carbon arrows were tucked into a display, exhibiting their strength and design. The red fletchings put his feathered bows to shame, perfectly fashioned to maximize velocity and distance. Several packages had been left behind, ignored for easier, heavier weapons. “Fuck, yes!” Naruto cried out joyfully, grabbing the boxes, aching to put them to use. He paused as he noticed the companion piece to the arrows: a black compound bow. 

“Oh.” A smile split Naruto’s face as he stood in awe of the instrument. Its sleek design and smooth curves called to him, begging him to pick it up. It too made his regular bow look like a child’s toy, barely impressive. Gazing at it, he vaguely realized he wasn’t quite sure how to use it, but that was a problem for a different day. Naruto reverently attached the compound bow to his pack and slid the arrows into his empty quiver, breathing in the power that that came with being armed.

More gunshots dragged him from his reveries, slapping him with a renewed dose of adrenaline. He scrambled back for the entrance, worry gnawing at him.

“CREEEEEEERRAAAAUUUGGGHHHH!” Something latched onto him and  _ yanked,  _ sending him flying to the ground.

Head smacking into material much harder than his skull, Naruto hazily moved on instinct, flipping away from what he saw was a half-rotted Clicker. It’s exposed upper body was melting onto the floor, preparing to become a spore nest. Bony ribs stuck out from the plates of Cordyceps, rotted and fragile over weeping organs that contracted and pulsed beneath its mottled skin. The fungus-ridden corpse screeched in a strange, guttural way, nails carving up vinyl as it clawed over to Naruto, ripping free of its moors. Naruto choked back a cry of surprise and his hand flew to his pack, clenching air. 

Alarm arched in his body and he saw his pack, with his precious arrows and bow, by the Clicker’s torso, torn away from his body when it grabbed him. “Oh fuck!” 

Rasengan let out a sudden howl and Naruto jerked, turning towards the cry. “Raz!”

The Clicker swung, nearly shredding his knee. Naruto scooted back, unable to move further with all of the junk around him. The boxes he was on top of gave way beneath his weight as he tried to stand, trapping him. Cursing vehemently, Naruto kicked as hard as he could, knocking the Clicker back slightly but receiving a few new scars as it’s talons dug into his calf and pulled him closer, dragging him towards the frothy, reeking mouth full of saliva-coated spores. 

It clicked furiously, neck arching to reach him, pulsing more liquid from its ruptured torso. Naruto tore his leg free with a yell, feeling blood spill and coat the inside of his jeans. Baseball mitts tumbled from another box as the blond rolled from another swipe, hyper aware he was well within lethal striking range. 

Naruto did a double-take when a metal baseball bat peeked out from underneath the mess of gloves, the polished surface gleaming in the low light. The Clicker moved, teeth gnashing. 

The bat was in his right hand the next moment, slamming into the Clicker’s head and tearing away most of its jaw with nauseating crack. It balked, shaking off the strike and the rest of its jaw. It reared to attack. 

Cursing, Naruto brought the bat down again and again until it lay still, dead.

Breathing heavily, Naruto crawled away. “There’s no time, there’s no time,” he chanted, dismissing the twinges of pain from his new wound and snatching up his pack. Limping slightly and bat in hand, he made his way to the entrance, desperate to get back to Sasuke. He was fearful the other had been injured.

Or had disappeared again.

He left the store and with relief spotted Sasuke where he last saw him, all in one piece. The dark-haired man was using the stairway to line the Infected up as if they were target practice, calmly delivering deadly shot after deadly shot. “He didn’t need me at all,” Naruto muttered, nonplussed. Sasuke was a  _ machine _ . In awe of his tactic, Naruto nearly missed the male Runner that leapt up behind him, groaning in an eerie, too-human voice.

Naruto whirled around in time, putting his entire weight into the swing. The Runner was thrown to the side as the bat connected with it’s chest, caving in a few ribs. It stumbled and straightened, again heading for Naruto, its eyes wide and unseeing. The roots of the fungus were prominent under the skin of his face, spreading across his flesh. This time the bat came down on its head, splitting its face in two. Naruto turned to Sasuke. The blond chose not to survey his handiwork, grimacing at the pain radiating from his calf.

Rasengan’s vicious barks reverberated in the building, rising and falling in intensity as he defaulted to rounding up aberrant Infected for disposal, leading them to slaughter as they gave chase.

Naruto switched to his usual bow. The feel of the arrow shaft was like a cool breeze to his frayed nerves, soothing and familiar. Closing in on Sasuke, he noticed a Clicker had gotten dangerously close to the other, coming in from his blind spot. Naruto nocked on instinct, aiming and firing in the same move. With a loud screech it fell back, drawing Sasuke’s attention.

Not near enough to see Sasuke’s expression, Naruto  _ felt  _ when the other looked up to stare at him, his own skin prickling in warning. With an easy grin, Naruto nocked another arrow, downing a female Runner that was scrabbling over the bodies of its dead brethren to climb the stairway. The rest were unable to crawl over, voicing out their anger and frustration. More had fallen down the gaps, impaled on the rebar below.

The blond reached Sasuke, fingers itchy on his weapon. Now that he was able to use his bow again, he didn’t want to be anywhere near another Infected freak without an arrow ready. Adding to that, he still didn’t know if Sasuke was friend or foe,  _ not really. _ He knew of his own intentions, but Sasuke was a mystery.

Sasuke’s whole being radiated danger, and if the bloodied bodies around his feet were anything to go by, it was true. He’d seen it first hand at the ranch – what would Itachi have thought? Would he have been proud of Sasuke, or horrified?

Ignoring the cries of the Infected on the lower floor, Naruto called for Rasengan. The canine trotted out from the shadows of a store, gait easy and relaxed as he loyally returned to Naruto’s side. Naruto eyed the blood marking his furry body, biting his lip in guilt. He’d need to check both their injuries before they got infected with who knows what the fuck was cultivating in the Infected’s claws.

This could have been a lot worse.

But they were okay. And once they got the fuck out of the city, it would be even better. His restless gaze trailed over to Sasuke, now able to fully focus on him. 

“You didn’t have to, but for what’s it’s worth,” Naruto said softly, licking his bottom lip, “thanks.” 

Predictably, Sasuke didn’t reply. He went on as if Naruto had said nothing, inspecting his weapons and giving the Infected he’d killed a once-over. 

Naruto kept watching him, knowing the other would disappear when given the opportunity. He was taken aback when Sasuke did it right in his face, merely walking by and down the concourse to. Naruto instantly went to follow, determination steeling his steps and keeping him from limping. “Oi, wait.”

Sasuke stopped, his back to Naruto for a full second before turning around, gun still in his hands.

Naruto noticed the gesture and kept his distance. “Look, I don’t want any trouble.” Slowly sliding his pack off, Naruto set it gently on the ground. He raised his hands, taking a step back. “I’m unarmed.” The weapons strapped to his legs begged to differ, but this was a purely visual gesture.

Sasuke observed him, expression unreadable and body angled away from Naruto. It was unnerving that he couldn’t gleam the slightest emotion from the other, besides just  _ cold. _ Sasuke’s head tilted a degree. 

Naruto swallowed nervously, the reality of their situation heavy on his shoulders. His gaze fell to the ground. He wanted to ask why Sasuke had appeared, not that he hadn’t spent hours trying to find him, but the question seemed pointless. 

This was his chance, the moment to reveal why he’d been trying to find him. But...If he told Sasuke that Itachi was dead, there was no telling what would happen. Would Sasuke care? Would he remember his brother? Or would it break him, as it did Itachi? No, he couldn’t let Sasuke know. Not yet. 

“I…,” he paused, unsure of what to say. He risked a look at his face, then unsettled by the intensity of Sasuke’s eyes boring into his. Eyes that screamed ‘predator’.

Anxious fingers began to prod at his right forearm, moving in a small arc. “Well. Um...do you know when something happens, something that...shouldn’t have been possible, but that you know happened for a reason?” Sasuke’s eyebrows furrowed and Naruto hurried to explain, “and this thing that happened is important as hell, but you don’t know the reason why it happened. You just know that no matter what, you have to find the reason?” Naruto gave a winning smile, hoping he made sense. It was hard to judge when he lost himself in the middle of speaking.

Sasuke blinked, the furrow deepening.

Fuck. The blond made a helpless gesture and took a small step forward, freezing when Sasuke moved back the same length, as wary as a cat. “I just need your help. That’s all.” 

Sasuke still didn’t speak, simply studying Naruto for an uncomfortable minute before he turned away dismissively.

“Wait!” Naruto panicked, quickly snatching up his belongings. He ran ahead of the dark-haired man. “Wait, Sa- _ dude _ , seriously.” He reached out and clamped a hand on Sasuke’s forearm, gripping hard as the fear of losing him bloomed in his stomach.

Sasuke’s arm immediately twisted and latched on to Naruto’s, clasping equally as hard. A foot pressed against his right instep, threatening to knock him down. Now face-to-face, Naruto could see Sasuke’s visage clearly. It was incredibly uncanny how similar he and Itachi appeared – give Sasuke a few stress lines and it would be like Itachi never left. Small bruises marred his cheeks and the scrape on his forehead was healing nicely. Blood still colored one of his eyes, but it was clearing up.

Heart aching, Naruto hated the scowl of suspicion that etched itself in Sasuke’s face. Itachi would have told him to smile more.

“I said, I need you to help me.” Naruto clenched his jaw, preparing for a possible fight. Sasuke was looking murderous and the grip on his forearm was beginning to hurt. Rasengan began a low growl and positioned himself to the side, sensing the danger.

Naruto saw Sasuke’s eyes dart over to Rasengan, knew he was evaluating his chances. But why wasn’t Sasuke responding? Why wouldn’t he speak?!

“I was with two other people. I lost them, and I need to find them.” The half-lie came easy as desperation took over. “And you can help me track them down. You know this area, I don’t. Get me to them and I’ll be out of your way.”

Sasuke arched a brow, clearly disbelieving. The grip grew stronger and Naruto knew he’d have bruises there. 

“You don’t understand, you have to –” Naruto’s mouth opened and closed as his words failed him. Sasuke didn’t have to do anything for him. There was no real reason for Sasuke to help him, nothing that would bind them. He couldn’t risk mentioning Itachi, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t think of a good enough reason. 

Sasuke abruptly yanked his arm back and pocketed a deadly-looking shiv that Naruto worryingly hadn’t noticed. Untangling himself from Naruto’s clutch, he resumed his leave.

Frustration bordering on anger, Naruto went after him again, Rasengan not far behind. “Goddammit, we can give you supplies.” Kakashi would murder him.

Sasuke walked on, his spine straight and confident.

Naruto’s hands became clammy. “Food, medicine.”

Sasuke didn’t turn, keeping a steady stride as they neared the other side of the mall, to an exit only Sasuke knew.

“Fucking hell, talk to me! Why did you help me?” Naruto exploded, his voice loudly reverberating a few times. “Say something, anything!” The blond’s heart skipped a beat when Sasuke stilled and looked at him over his shoulder.

“Stop following me,” the dark-haired man said mildly, a scalpel-sharp edge to his words that implied a threat.

Naruto felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, thoroughly unsettled and speechless by those few words. He saw Sasuke study him for a moment longer before finally leaving, fading into the shadowy areas of the building. Upset, he took a small step but was unable to take another. He couldn’t protect Sasuke if he were dead, and he didn’t want to become an enemy. The thought of Itachi’s brother growing to hate him hurt more than it should. No matter how much he wanted to go after him, Naruto recognized this was a battle that needed to be a fought a different way.

But how?

It was curious how utterly helpless he was feeling, far more than when facing down the hordes of Infected alone. Trudging over to the nearest wall, Naruto leaned against it and let his body slide down, sitting there for a while, simply thinking. He propped his elbows on his knees, touching the sore spot on his arm that Sasuke had grabbed.

“Rasengan, what the fuck am I doing?” he asked honestly, the canine plopping down next to him.

A plan had sprung up in his mind and every fiber of his being committed straightaway, as if it were the only logical choice. He would hang back and watch Sasuke from afar. It was not lost on him how Itachi’s brother could’ve died had Naruto not been there to help at the ranch. The mere though turned Naruto’s blood to ice and soured the taste in his mouth. There were millions of things that could go wrong, and Naruto couldn’t help but think of them all.

He had found Sasuke, or rather Sasuke had found him, and now would go find him again. And again and again, just to be sure. Once he was certain Sasuke was safe, he could talk to him and tell him about Itachi. Sasuke would understand. He had to. Naruto could tell him all about Itachi and how he had laid his life down protecting Naruto. How he would pledge to do the same and –“Ah fuck.”

Calloused palms dug into his eyes, rubbing furiously. Now he was delusional. Sasuke would gut him on the spot; that threat had been no joke and Naruto wasn’t keen on letting that happen. He blew out a slow breath, carding a hand through his hair as his head hung down. He was avoiding thinking about the biggest issue.

He was abandoning Iruka and Kakashi.

Not intentionally. He planned to return,  _ wanted _ to return, but he was being pulled in too many directions to know what the fuck to do. Their rendezvous time had passed. Sure he knew the general area and could probably find them after a few days of searching, but that would mean leaving Sasuke, something his mind violently objected. Itachi would never forgive him.

He didn’t want to strike out on his own either-- the security of having somewhere to go home, even temporarily, and having someone there who could have his back….nothing could replace that. With Iruka and Kakashi, he could rest and pretend there was a semblance of normalcy. They were his family. 

Naruto’s eyes narrowed slightly. Replacement family. Ironically, Kakashi had killed his family, and then sought to supplant it. There was no love lost between them, and Naruto couldn’t say he missed the silver-haired bastard. Though if he did disappear, Iruka would be absolutely heartbroken and Naruto wouldn’t hurt him that way. The man was too soft for his own good.

Oh, but this was familiar territory; this turmoil was an old friend. He’d been down this road before, and always returned no matter what. The itching urge to vanish would fade and he’d be home in time for supper. Kakashi would cut, Iruka would soothe, and the pattern would begin anew, until...

Until what? Naruto exhaled sharply, through his peripherals spotting Rasengan looking at him with a slight head tilt. “Until the end of times,” he muttered aloud. Until one of them finally makes a wrong move or miscalculates and gets bitten and the others adopt the duty to spare him the misery of turning. You fight to survive, and then you die. The end.

If Infected didn’t kill him, the lack of living would. 

Though, now he had something that resembled a purpose; fulfill Itachi’s final wishes. It was a fleeting purpose, but a purpose nonetheless. It was  _ something different,  _ a break in the dismal monotony that ruled his existence. Naruto refused to dwell on the lack of end game and to what extent he could complete his new objective—it would ruin the illusion.

It was enough to justify staying for a few days longer. He would return when the time was right.

Naruto’s lips twitched. “Rasengan, did I ever tell you what Itachi always told me?” 

Ever so patient, Rasengan’s ears tilted forward and he closed his eyes as Naruto scratched the top of his head.

“Itachi said that, no matter what, you keep finding something to fight for.” He paused, throat drying up. “It’s getting harder and harder, buddy. If I fail this time, I don’t know what will happen.”

 

* * *

 

Fortunately, the colonies of fungus ended after a few feet, dwindling into withered husks. Having nothing to feed on, the roots started to dry out and become dust, and with it, the last vestiges of the spores cleared out, leaving Iruka in a dark tunnel of purely dirt and rock.

Reluctant to take off his mask, Iruka limped further in, the beam of his flashlight focused on the black electricity cables that ran the length of the tunnel. He was moderately hopeful they would lead to a generator. Generators meant gas, which meant transportation, and it wouldn’t be too difficult to find a viable car. His injury couldn’t hold them back if they drove.

A bad step had Iruka bracing on the wall, holding back a groan of pain. He was willing to admit he may be exacerbating his injury, but there was no time to be worried about it. There would be a chance to rest once he finished what he’d started. Sweat beaded at his temples. “How much further does this go?,” Iruka breathed, looking over his shoulder. There were no signs of the entrance in the black void behind him, and no signs of an exit in front of him.

The darkness appeared to reach for him, sinister fingers kept at bay by the circle of his light. He felt the silence of the tunnel weigh down on him, oppressive and claustrophobic. He didn’t know how long he’d been walking.

The temptation to retreat mounted, but Iruka ruthlessly shoved it aside. “Never mind that.” Iruka gave himself a brief moment of respite before forcing himself to continue. From what he could collect, the lack of more dead Infected indicated this was just an escape tunnel. The length would grant a decent amount of space between the barn, which would hypothetically be overrun with Infected, and the exit; it was ingenious. Or rather, would be ingenious if Infected hadn’t gotten in.

Perhaps it had been an accident. Perhaps it had been on purpose. An escape on one side of the coin, a death trap on the other.

The longer the tunnel extended, the more curious Iruka grew, mind whirring with the possibilities. He staggered on, hoping to catch Kakashi unawares on the outside. He knew Kakashi would be furious, both at the disobedience of him leaving and the stress to his ankle, but he would have to admit that it was a priority.

Iruka frowned in concern. Though, if Kakashi got too mad, he wasn’t sure what would happen. Things...had changed. 

Kakashi was more distant, and it made sense. Taking Naruto with them had thrown everything into chaos, and it had been Iruka’s idea. Who wouldn’t be resentful? They were barely making it, and the little family Iruka had once thought could work was an utter disaster. 

Naruto could barely stand Kakashi, who made matters worse by critiquing the other constantly. Kakashi was reluctant to interact with Naruto besides the necessary, never speaking about it with Iruka. There was a little part of both of them that was closed off, inaccessible no matter how hard Iruka tried. Kakashi shut down when Iruka pressed, which was constantly. Iruka couldn’t help it; he wanted to do something, make up for what he’d done wrong. Invariably, it would lead to more arguing, which Naruto would watch from afar but never comment on. The blond was normally an open book, but there were times when he was indecipherable and unpredictable.

Fracture upon fracture; always closing in on the breaking point.

Iruka couldn’t hold that against either of them, nor could he make up for what he had done. It was a pity that – “Stop,” Iruka abruptly snapped at himself, anger unfurling in his stomach as his own acidic thoughts ate away at him. Counterproductive and stressful, his mind had become his greatest enemy, constantly and consistently battling to tear him down. He knew it, understood it, but knowing rarely translated into feeling, and therapy didn’t work when you knew all the tricks.

Iruka focused on each step, counting, keeping himself occupied. He noticed when the tunnel began to slope down, mildly at first, then steeper. “It should be going up, not down,” he muttered, confused. He contemplated turning back around, but he’d come this far, why not continue and see where exactly this led? No spores hung in the air, and there were no signs of fungus in the rich earth surrounding him; it was definitely a comfort, but the weight of his gun was a greater one. 

Mindful of his ankle, he followed the descent, taking in how humid the air grew as the temperature plummeted. He shivered, the wet patches on his shirt leeching away his body heat. It almost felt as if there was a breeze.

Further in, he was disappointed to see the electricity cables suddenly cut off, the inner wires exposed at the slice. There were no signs of the rest of the length. Bordering on calling it quits, Iruka walked, at the very least wanting to say he had tried.

Quiet drips of water began to slowly make themselves known, filling in the silence that was broken only by Iruka’s heavy breathing and shuffling footsteps. Straining his ears, Iruka picked up the sound of running water, muffled, but certainly there. Iruka pulled off his mask, nose assaulted with the odor of algae and minerals. What kind of escape tunnel was this?  How was there running water down here?

Suspicious, he stopped, snapping his flashlight off and waiting for his eyes to adjust. He inhaled sharply as faint light came into sight, peeking around a bend in the tunnel a few feet away. Leaving his light off, Iruka hopped over, using the wall for support.

Right at the turn, a huge metal pipe severed the tunnel, ending its path. 

Into the pipe, someone had carved out a wide opening, granting passage into an underground sewer system.

Amazed and wary, Iruka ventured in, lightly perturbed by the rank-smelling water that rose from his ankles to his calves, soaking his pants. It didn’t smell like he’d expected, just moldy and rotten, mixed with the tang of iron and minerals. It was also fucking freezing. 

Flicking his light back on, Iruka shone the beam around the circumference of the pipe around him, gauging it’s height to be around ten feet tall. “Whoa,” he huffed, hearing his voice travel. After the enclosed space of the tunnel, this was entirely too spacious, making him feel uncomfortably small. 

Above the water-line, patches of vibrant green algae flourished on the rusted metal ridges, growing in different hues and mixing with small tree-like plants. 

The brunet looked at the tunnel he’d emerged from. Glancing further back, he noticed more holes carved in, identical to his. “A series of interconnecting tunnels that lead to an underground system. Limited access points, limited exits. Built-in gates and security measures, eliminating the need to travel above ground and risk encounters with Infected. I’m impressed.” 

Eager to explore, Iruka trudged over to his tunnel and ripped off a section of the wrapping on his leg, needing to mark his way to avoid getting lost. This place would be like a maze.

Tying it to a needlelike shard of metal that stuck out from the bottom edge, he hissed and pulled away as the edge twisted, digging into his palm. Blood welled from the slice, soaking the cloth and sliding down to his wrist to the water, red smudges stark against the green. Iruka glared at the cut, taking it as a personal affront. Tearing off another section, Iruka wrapped his palm securely, tightening the knot with his teeth. He left the soiled cloth on the pipe.

Moving forward, Iruka studied the plants, his stilted gait creating rocky waves that swayed the flora. It was surprising how healthily they grew, considering how little light they received. He could scarcely see without his flashlight on. The water must be rich with nutrients and nitrates. He brought the beam down to the translucent water, wondering if he’d see any fish. There was a chance erosion had connected the system to a river or its tributaries; it would explain the vast amounts flowing by.

Ahead, the pipe broadened into a larger room of rusted metal gears and green plants; the sound of running water was stronger.

“This would be perfect for supply runs,” Iruka mused, eyeing a steel grate above his head that was choked with dried brown vines. Behind it, a large algae-covered tube ran the length of the room, passing through more grates. The bolts that split it into sections gleamed in the light, winking at Iruka. “Just pop into the closest entry point and mosey on down to the main chamber. No need to traverse through unknown territory, just go under it.”

To his right, water spilled down from a rectangular opening in the wall, falling from a higher level that channeled it through. It fed into the water at his feet, but where did it drain? It had to end somewhere, otherwise the entire facility would be flooded. Iruka wrinkled his nose as he caught a hefty whiff of rotting algae – this place was bound to be full of the stuff. At least it was a natural deterrent; no one with a functioning nose would want to stick around for long. 

The corner of his mouth twitched. The pack would hate being down here. Not only would they be inundated with the reek of standing water and dying algae, but the humid air would retain scents for far longer than they would find useful. They’d be going around in circles, chasing the same smell.

“Ideal for people, not so much dogs,” Iruka said, allowing a wry grin as he passed the waterfall and entered the back of the room, eyeing a proverbial fork in the road. The room divided into two paths, a large cement wall in the middle, adorned by a single red sign. “Caution, contaminated water. You don’t say,” he read aloud, eyebrows rising as he curled his injured hand into a fist. Tetanus or E. Coli, wonderful. A quick glimpse of the left side had his ankle angrily voicing its opposition. The right wasn’t much better, but it was easier on his injury. 

Iruka went right.

The green tube he’d seen earlier suddenly ended, leaving a steady stream of water gushing down and over its fallen sections. Sliding over the busted slabs while avoiding the stream, Iruka hobbled up a slight incline that lead to another level.

Grateful for the dry ground, Iruka spotted a short hallway that cut through the wall to the side he hadn’t chosen, observing how weathered everything was. It was holding up surprisingly well for having had no up-keep for years. It was also unexpected to find no signs of any Infected or people. It stood to reason that there may be some, taking into account the couple were rotting at the trapdoor, but the lack of spore nests and typical base point items pointed in one direction for Iruka. 

“Most likely defensible, with architecture built to last. A stable supply of...contaminated water than can be boiled to drink. A connection with a river might bring in food, but that’s yet to be seen.” Kakashi would be over the moon with this place, and Naruto would waste no time memorizing every nook and cranny. The layout led Iruka to believe it extended for miles, plenty of room for the dogs. It was incredible. 

This would more than make up for what they had lost. This was opportunity, a chance to change everything. Hope grew into a fragile flower, afraid to bloom. He may have failed with their little family, but this was his absolution.

Ignoring the shortcut, Iruka shone his flashlight on a small room that was tucked away on his right. It almost appeared to be a cage, with long black bars touching the ground and ceiling. The sections in between were blocked by fencing. Through the gated door, Iruka could see steps leading to a series of broken metal shelves and rusted barrels lying on their sides. Again, eerily clear of people, paraphernalia, or Infected, as if everything had just disappeared. 

Towards the ceiling, narrow windows allowed faint light to diffuse in. “Windows...this must be just below the ground,” Iruka mused, bracing against the door to open it. Exactly how far had that tunnel taken him? Twinges of worry hit him as he realized he probably wouldn’t be back before Kakashi returned. Not with his ankle throbbing the way it was. Iruka rubbed the bridge of his nose, fingers brushing over old scar tissue. This was enough, he should get back.

He gave the small room a once-over, keeping an eye out for supplies. The shelves were picked clean, but it never hurt to look. Preparing to leave, Iruka stopped, catching the edge of a paper hanging on the far left wall. His eyes widened. “Is that a map?” He could bring that to Kakashi!

Excited, Iruka hauled himself up the steps, finding a cork-board covered in scrap newspaper clippings. Disappointment morphed into uneasiness as he read the headings and the dates published. 

These were years old. 

“UK freezes immigration,” he muttered. That had happened early on, shortly after the university had shut down. They had thought quarantining the entire island was feasible, but it had just resulted in a dead island. Australia had fared better.

The brunet had stark memories of reading the news religiously, hoping it wasn’t as bad as everyone had thought. He’d been wrong. They’d all been wrong.

A bleached yellow flyer hung above the board, declaring safety for survivors in the quarantine zones. Iruka stared at the paper. He finally looked away and shuffled down the steps, gripping the rail hard and cursing. His ankle had started stiffening, radiating hot pain he fought to brush aside. Walking back through the cold water might help.

Once outside the cage, Iruka glanced over at the short hallway, wondering what was on the other side. He debated briefly but capitulated, driven by the need to check for goods or a map. It would only take a second, and the more ground he scouted, the better.

Slowly limping into the hall, Iruka grimaced as a rat scurried by, startled out of its hiding spot. He reached the other side, gingerly putting a foot on the grated walkway that was perpendicular to the entrance.

The metal immediately bent under his weight, corroded weak points shattering and ripping apart with loud, echoing cries. 

Panicking, Iruka grabbed the railing with both hands, his flashlight dropping away and into the standing water below. The entire framework shook and snapped off, rattling Iruka to his bones as the walkway fell, tossing the brunet forward. 

Thrown onto a ledge of concrete next to another gated entry, Iruka landed with a breathless yell, the wind knocked out of him as he rolled to a stop. The ground trembled as the rest of the framework collapsed, dust trickling down from the impact. Pain wracked his body, and he prayed his ribs or hips weren’t broken. He struggled to rise, unable to move his ankle without freezing in agony. “Fuck,” he mouthed, pressing his forehead to the floor and wincing, the pain stealing his voice.

The squeals of bending metal died off, leaving Iruka with the sounds of his own haggard breathing and dripping water. He gathered the strength to move, squinting in the low light as he lifted his head. He planted both hands on the ground, heaving himself up, clutching the bars of the gate for help. “Oh gods, this hurts,” he whimpered, eyes watering. He blinked rapidly, holding his foot up off the floor. The wood had been damaged, rendering the splint useless and his ankle open to actually breaking. 

Upright, he surveyed the damage.

The walkway had been trashed. There was absolutely no way he would be able to scale the few grates that remained, even if he had two working legs. A bolted down ladder leading down from the platform looked promising, but Iruka objected to trying it. It could snap under him and he’d have to content with more than just a few new bruises. 

Goddammit, he should have known the walkway wasn’t safe! With the amount of water around, everything could be corroded. Just like before, he’d gone in without a second thought and ended up injured. He hadn’t learned anything. It was pure luck he was still in one piece; Kakashi would be furious.

Angry and in pain, Iruka stiffly looked for another exit, unwilling to go further in. If he couldn’t even scout correctly, what was he even good for? This place could be a death trap, and he had been planning on leading everyone in. Everyone could have gotten hurt, infected with tetanus, killed because of his oversight. He was a joke.

The flower was crushed, petals ground into the floor.

Iruka touched the pouch on his waist, glad he’d at least brought an extra flashlight. It would be night soon, and he would need all the help he could get. Fuck, this was a catastrophe. How was he supposed to get back?

Faint, almost indecipherable, Iruka heard them coming. 

His blood turned to ice and he stared dumbly at the other end of the room, watching the water churn into waves. They appeared within seconds, climbing over the pipes like spiders and cutting through the waist-high water with single-minded determination. Runners and Clickers, unimpeded by the debris of the walkway, reached the ladder.

_ GO, GO _ ! His mind shrieked at him, jolting him out of his shock. Horrified, Iruka stumbled backwards, placing his foot down without thought and jerking as his ankle locked. “Fuck!” he screamed, almost falling to his knees. 

A decaying hand slapped the ledge, the first Infected having reached the top.

Yanking himself behind the gate and slamming it shut, Iruka braced against it, back to the Infected. Brown hair clung to his face and fell into his eyes, ripped free of his hair-tie. Heart beating unhealthily quickly, Iruka stared at the other end of the hall, shaking as two Infected began to bang against the gate.

It wouldn’t last. 

He would have to fight to keep it closed; that wasn’t possible against a small army of Infected pushing in. Iruka couldn’t see anything around him to lock the gate; if he stayed, it was over.

Iruka abandoned the gate in desperation, forced deeper into the sewer system. Barely able to put the slightest bit of weight on his ankle, he limped heavily, frantic, listening as the gate opened and hit the concrete wall with an ear-splitting bang.

Fear gripped his very core and Iruka was sorry he had ever chosen go into that stupid library. He was going to die here. Numb fingers fumbled at his pouch, clawing for a gun he knew wouldn’t help him.

The hallway extended to a high platform bordered by yellow railing, opening into a large bay-like room with light that poured in from an enormous gap in the ceiling, illuminating everything. Heavy machinery hung from the rafters, rusted chains dangling beneath.

It was entirely flooded.

Alarm bells went off in Iruka’s head, warning him of the Infected behind him, even as he stilled at the edge of the platform, even as he was consumed by fear of the abyss before him. He wouldn’t be able to swim, not with his  _ fucking leg- _

Iruka whirled around, a Clicker on the cusp of evolution latching onto him, teeth grazing his neck. 

His ankle declared it had enough and gave under their combined weight, sending Iruka and the Clicker tumbling into the icy water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iruka's going through some shit, Naruto's having a mid-life crisis, and Sasuke has some major issues. What's Kakashi up to?  
>  **By the way, is anyone getting notifications that I updated? Please let me know :v**


End file.
